Rice pilaf can be served either as a side dish or main dish but bulgur pilav (pilav made of boiled and pounded wheat -bulgur) is also widely eaten. The dishes made with kuru fasulye (white beans), nohut (chickpeas), mercimek (lentils), börülce (black-eyed peas), etc., combined with onion, vegetables, minced meat, tomato paste and rice, have always been common due to being economical and nutritious.
Turu is pickle made with brine, usually with the addition of garlic. It is often enjoyed as an appetizer. It is made with a large variety of vegetables, from cucumber to courgette. In the towns on the Aegean coast, the water of turu is consumed as a drink.
Egg dishes
Menemen consists of scrambled eggs cooked with tomato, green pepper, and onion.
Çilbir is another traditional Turkish food made with eggs, yoghurt and oil.
Ispanakl yumurta consists of eggs with spinach and onion.
Kaygana can be described as the omelet of Ottoman cuisine. However, it is almost forgotten in the big cities of Turkey. Kaygana, omelet prepared with flour, used to be served with cheese, honey or eggplant.
Meze and salads
A plate of Turkish meze
A plate of piyaz
A plate of ksr decorated with green olives and cucumber piecesMeze is a selection of food served as the appetizer course with or without drinks. Some of them can be served as a main course as well.
Aside from olives, mature kaar kashar cheese, white cheese, various mixed pickles turu, frequently eaten Turkish mezes include:
Acl ezme – hot spicy freshly mashed tomato with onion and green herbs
Acuka (also known as muhammara) – a spread having both Circassian and Syrian origins, prepared with from Aleppo pepper paste, ground walnuts, tomato paste, bread crumbs, garlic, and spices
Ahtapot (octopus) – served as a salad or grilled
Arnavut cieri (literally "Albanian liver") – fried liver cubes served with onion,